Amphibians of North Carolina
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sciNametaxonomic commentsfield marksvocalizationshabitatobservation methodspopulation ecologystatus commentsS rankG rankstate statusus status
Desmognathus kanawha
Kanawha Black-bellied Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........Local populations of this and other members of the Black-bellied Salamander complex are strongly associated with perennial mountain streams and stream-seepage complexes. The known habitats range from ...The adults are most easily collected by turning large rocks or other cover in streams. At night, they often can be observed with their heads or upper bodies protruding from burrows and cover objects. .........
Desmognathus gvnigeusgwotli
Cherokee Black-bellied Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........Local populations of this and other members of the Black-bellied Salamander complex are strongly associated with perennial mountain streams and stream-seepage complexes. The known habitats range from ...The adults are most easily collected by turning large rocks or other cover in streams. At night, they often can be observed with their heads or upper bodies protruding from burrows and cover objects. .........
Desmognathus ocoee
Ocoee Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........This and other members of the D. ocoee complex that occur in western North Carolina are associated with montane hardwoods with cool, clear-flowing headwater streams and seepages (Petranka 1998)...Individuals are easy to collect by searching beneath cover objects along stream margins, under rocks and debris in the stream proper, or in the adjoining woods. They are most easily observed at night .........S4G5
Desmognathus monticola
Seal Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........This is a semi-terrestrial species that is most commonly found in or adjoining small to moderate-sized, rocky streams and their associated seepages. They tend to be restricted to streams with well ae............S5G5
Desmognathus amphileucus
Nantahala Black-bellied Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........Local populations of this and other members of the Black-bellied Salamander complex are strongly associated with perennial mountain streams and stream-seepage complexes. The known habitats range from ...The adults are most easily collected by turning large rocks or other cover in streams. At night, they often can be observed with their heads or upper bodies protruding from burrows and cover objects. .........
sciNametaxonomic commentsfield marksvocalizationshabitatobservation methodspopulation ecologystatus commentsS rankG rankstate statusus status
Desmognathus perlapsus
Chattooga Dusky Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........In western North Carolina. D. perlapsus is associated with montane hardwood forests with cool, clear-flowing headwater streams and seepages and wet rock faces. Brooding females and overwinterin...Individuals are easy to collect by searching beneath cover objects along stream margins, under rocks and debris in the stream proper, or in the adjoining woods. They are most easily observed at night .........
Desmognathus adatsihi
Cherokee Mountain Dusky Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........This species inhabits montane hardwood and spruce-fir forests with cool, clear-flowing headwater streams and seepages. It also can be found in wet rock faces. Brooding females and overwintering juveni...Individuals are easy to collect by searching beneath cover objects along stream margins, under rocks and debris in the stream proper, or in the adjoining woods. They are most easily observed at night .........
Desmognathus balsameus
Great Balsams Mountain Dusky Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........This and other members of the D. ocoee complex that occur in western North Carolina are associated with montane forests with cool, clear-flowing headwater streams and seepages (Petranka 1998). ...Individuals are easy to collect by searching beneath cover objects along stream margins, under rocks and debris in the stream proper, or in the adjoining woods. They are most easily observed at night .........
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Spring Salamander		As currently recognized, Gyrinophilus porphyriticus is a geographically variable species that appears to be a species complex with several undescribed forms. Brandon (1966, 1967) recognized fou.........The Spring Salamander typically inhabits cool, heavily shaded habitats with small streams or other aquatic habitats that lack predatory fishes, although the larvae can be found in permanent sections o...The adults are far less abundant than those of most other stream-breeding salamanders, but can be found beneath cover objects and on the ground surface at night. The larvae are best obtained by search...Local populations appear to be smaller than those of most co-occurring stream-breeding species based on surveys for the larvae and adults. In North Carolina, this likely reflects the fact that the adu......S5G5
Eurycea wilderae
Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamander		Eurycea wilderae is a member of the Eurycea bislineata species complex, which includes a group of stream-breeding salamanders that are found in eastern North America, many of which are r.........The adults breed in running water and use habitats that range from small fish-free headwater streams to intermediate-sized streams that support predatory fish. Headwater streams and other small strea...The larvae are most easily found by searching small pools in headwater streams, or by using kick nets in larger streams. The terrestrial juveniles and adults can be found beneath cover objects during .........S5G5
sciNametaxonomic commentsfield marksvocalizationshabitatobservation methodspopulation ecologystatus commentsS rankG rankstate statusus status
Desmognathus wrighti
Pygmy Salamander		Prior to 2010, populations of a a tiny Desmognathus species that has a reddish brown to coppery bronze dorsal stripe with a dark herringbone pattern down its center constituted a single species.........Pygmy Salamanders occur primarily at mid to higher elevations in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They can be relatively common in spruce-fir forests on the highest peaks south of the Asheville Basin (Tilley...Individuals are most easily collected either by turning cover objects or searching the forest floor and low-lying vegetation on wet or rainy nights....Males studied by Hining and Bruce (2005) became sexually mature when 2-3 years old, while females appeared to first oviposit when three years old. Rossell et al. (2018) found that sex ratios in North ......S3G3SR
Desmognathus organi
Northern Pygmy Salamander		Prior to 2010, populations of a a tiny Desmognathus species that has a reddish brown to coppery bronze dorsal stripe with a dark herringbone pattern down its center constituted a single species.........Desmognathus organi is most commonly found in forests above 3600' (1100 m) in the southern Appalachians (Crespi et al. 2010), including the Black Mountains, Grandfather Mountain, and Roan Mount...Individuals can be collected by turning woody debris on the forest floor. They are active on the ground surface during periods of wet or rainy weather and can often be observed climbing on low vegetat...In southwestern Virginia, the males become sexually mature when about 3.5-years old and > 24 mm SVL. The females become sexually mature when 4.5-years old and first oviposit when 5-years old (Organ 19......S2S3G3SR
Desmognathus orestes
Blue Ridge Dusky Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........This and other members of the D. ochrophaeus complex that occur in western North Carolina are associated with montane hardwoods with cool, clear-flowing headwater streams and seepages (Petranka.........Desmognathus orestes is a common species at moderate to higher elevations in western North Carolina and is in minimal need of protection. ...S3S4G4
Desmognathus folkertsi
Dwarf Black-bellied Salamander		.........This species is primarily aquatic or semiaquatic and can be found in high gradient, rocky streams similar to those preferred by D. amphileucus (Camp and Tilley 2005).............S1G2G3SC
Hyla squirella
Squirrel Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......The males produce two common vocalizations -- the “rain call” or "tree call" that is made from trees during the day -- and the advertisement call that is made from the breeding sites at night. The ad...Except during the breeding season, the adults are commonly found in moist, forested habitats that are somewhat open. They have also adapted well to human-altered landscapes where breeding sites remain...The adults are commonly seen around the margins of wetlands during the breeding season, and can be found crossing roads on rainy nights. They are frequently seen around homes, buildings, and landscape...Local populations are centered around the breeding sites and may consist of a dozen or two adults at very small, isolated breeding sites to many hundreds of individuals where clusters of ponds are use...The Squirrel Treefrog is widespread and often locally common in coastal regions of North Carolina, and appears to have expanded its range in the Piedmont. Populations show no evidence on widespread de...S5G5
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Desmognathus quadramaculatus
Black-bellied Salamander		.....................S5G5
Desmognathus mavrokoilius
Pisgah Black-bellied Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........Local populations of this and other members of the Black-bellied Salamander complex are strongly associated with perennial mountain streams and stream-seepage complexes. The known habitats range from ...The adults are most easily collected by turning large rocks or other cover in streams. At night, they often can be observed with their heads or upper bodies protruding from burrows and cover objects. .........
Acris gryllus
Southern Cricket Frog		Acris is a genus of small hylid frogs that is endemic to North America. Two species have traditionally been recognized, each with formally recognized subspecies. Acris gryllus is a south......The songs of both of our species of cricket frogs consist of a series of clicks, often described as "gick" "gick" "gick" and likened to pebbles, marbles, or ball-bearings being struck together. There ...Acris gryllus it typically found in the vicinity of permanent or temporary wetlands such as wet prairies, seepage bogs, sloughs, canals, sawgrass prairies, grassy meadows, Carolina bays, farm p......Local populations often consist of a few hundred to many hundreds of individuals, particularly along small lakes or other large wetlands (Dodd 2013). Wright (1932) considered this species to be the mo...Although long considered common and abundant in the North Carolina, declines have recently been detected in the northern half of the upper Coastal Plain, with populations apparently no longer present ...S5G5
Lithobates sphenocephalus
Southern Leopard Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The advertisement call is distinctive, but rather complex and difficult to describe. It generally consists of one or more rapid sequences of 2-6 guttural notes or clucks ('ah-ah-ah-ah' or 'aka-aka-aka...The juveniles and adults are typically found in mesic settings, and often in landscapes that have clusters of wetlands of various hydroperiods that are embedded within forests (Dodd 2013). They can us...Individuals can be found calling at the breeding sites and moving across roads on rainy nights. Searching areas in or near the shorelines of ponds or other wetlands can be productive. ...Very limited information is available on population structure and population interconnectivity across the landscape. The adults are known to move long distances from the breeding sites and often quick...The southern Leopard Frog tolerates landscape disturbances relatively well and its use of artificial aquatic habitats has allowed it to adapted to human-altered landscapes. Although this species has b...S5S5
Hyla femoralis
Pine Woods Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......Dodd (2013) noted that the males have two distinctive calls. One is made from the trees and occurs throughout the warm activity season, while the other is a more typical male advertisement call that i...the Pine Woods Treefrog is strongly associated with southern pine forests of the Coastal Plain, but also can be found in mixed pine-hardwood associations. Although this species typically uses pine for...The adults are best found by seeking calling males at the breeding sites or by riding roads on rainy night. ...Local populations are centered around the breeding sites. Estimates of local population sizes are largely lacking because the adults easily trespass across drift fences that are used to capture many a...Despite widespread historical losses due to the loss or degradation of wetlands and the loss of previously forested areas in the Coastal Plain, H. femoralis show no evidence of marked ongoing d...S5G5
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Hyla chrysoscelis
Cope's Gray Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......The advertisement call is a loud fast trill. The trill of this species is higher pitched and occurs at a faster pulse rate (34–69 notes per second) than that of H. versicolor (17–35 notes/sec)....This highly arboreal species is most commonly associated with deciduous hardwood forests where it blends in well with tree limbs in the forest canopy. Populations in the upper Midwest at the western e...Individuals are most easily observed around the breeding sites on nights following afternoon thunderstorms or other rain events. They are also commonly seen on roads on rainy nights, and around homes ...Most local populations appear to consist of no more than a few hundred adults, and often times far fewer. Ritke et al. (1991) marked adult frogs that breed a cluster of ponds in western Tennessee and ...Populations of (H. chrysoscelis) show no evidence of marked declines in North Carolina and appear to tolerate habitat fragmentation and urbanization reasonably well so long as tracts of deciduo...S5G5
Pseudacris ocularis
Little Grass Frog		Pseudacris ocularis has been placed in several genera over the years, including Hyla and Limnaeodus, but more recent molecular studies place it with other Pseudacris specie......The call of P. ocularis is a faint, very high-pitched, repetitive insect-like “ts-r-e-ek” or “s’lick” that Harper (1939b) described as resembling tinkling beads. Blair (1958a) noted that the d...The Little Grass Frog appears to rarely move far from its breeding sites, although it is possible that individuals leave very shallow seasonal ponds that dry and become inhospitable. They can be found...The adults are most easily observed by finding calling males as the breeding sites or searching grassy vegetation around pond and swamp margins during the day or night. ...Very little is known about the population biology of this species. Local populations probably consist of a few dozen to many hundreds of adults. Some of the older accounts (Harper 1939b, Wright 1932)...Populations in North Carolina show no evidence of widespread declines in recent decades and appear to be stable. ...S5G5
Acris crepitans
Eastern Cricket Frog		Acris is a genus of small hylid frogs that is endemic to North America. Two species have traditionally been recognized, each with formally recognized subspecies. Acris gryllus is a south......To the human ear, the advertisement call consists of a series of clicks in which the interval between clicks decreases with time and often ends in a rapid, rattling sequence at the end. The individual...The adults and juveniles are typically found in the immediate vicinity of semipermanent and permanent wetlands during the warmer months of the year. They generally prefer sunny or lightly shaded habit...Cricket frogs are most easily seen by walking the margins of permanent aquatic habitats such as ponds, freshwater marshes or the shallow sections of small lakes. They often respond to approaching huma...Local populations often consist of hundreds of adults. One population along a 150 m transect in New York was estimated to consists of 628 frogs (range 343-1,681), while a second in the Florida Panhand...Acris crepitans has declined in some areas of its range (Micancin et al. 2012), but populations appear to be relatively stable in North Carolina. We have several older records from the western ...S5G5
Lithobates palustris
Pickerel Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The males produce several types of vocalizations, including an advertisement call and two additional calls associated with aggressive interactions with other males (Given 2005). The advertisement call...The Pickerel Frog is generally associated with forested landscapes with appropriate breeding sites, but can also be found in areas with a mosaic of forested and non-forested patches such as meadows or...The juveniles and adults are sometimes encountered while crossing roads on rainy nights, while the calling males can be heard during the spring warm-up and early summer. Individuals are occasionally f...We know very little about local population sizes or population structure for this species. The Pickerel Frog tends to be spottily distributed in many areas of its range. It is often underrepresented i...This species appears to be relatively common in North Carolina compared to many areas of the range. There is no evidence of significant population declines in recent years. ...S5S5
Aneides caryaensis
Hickory Nut Gorge Green Salamander		Populations of a crevice-dwelling greenish salamander with a flattened body, long legs, and squared toe tips have traditionally been treated as a single species, the Green Salamander (Aneides aeneu.........Williams et al. (2020) conducted a multiyear survey of A. aeneus and A. caryaensis in North Carolina and made only 12 observations of adult A. caryaensis, versus several hundred o............S1G1E
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Ambystoma opacum
Marbled Salamander		The genus Ambystoma consists of 32 currently recognized species that are found in North America and Mexico. The terrestrial adults have stout bodies and legs, widely spaced eyes, and well-devel.........Marbled Salamanders are associated with hardwood forests, where the presence of hardwood leaf litter appears to be a critical factor for both adults and larvae. It provides both shelter for the salama...The adults can be found beneath cover objects in and around breeding pools during the fall breeding season. The larvae can often be seen resting on leaf litter around the margins of ponds in late wint...Local populations of the Marbled Salamander tend to be organized as metapopulations. A metapopulation is a regional group of local populations that are connected by the occasional movement of individu...Despite extensive habitat loss and degradation, numerous local populations of this species still exist in North Carolina that can be found in a wide range of hardwood forests and woodlands. Although h...S5G5
Ambystoma maculatum
Spotted Salamander		The genus Ambystoma consists of 32 currently recognized species that are found in North America and Mexico. The terrestrial adults have stout bodies and legs, widely spaced eyes, and well-devel.........Adults are most common in bottomland forests in or adjoining floodplains, but occur sporadically in upland forests and in mountainous regions where suitable breeding sites are available. Felix et al. ...The adults migrate to breeding ponds during the late winter and early spring and can be found crossing roads on rainy nights or gathering around the margins of ponds. Groups of courting adults can be ...At sites where forest buffers that surround the breeding ponds are intact, local populations are thought to be limited by density-dependent interactions that occur during the larval stage. Crowding g......S5G5
Lithobates sylvaticus population 1.....................G5TNRQ
Pseudacris nigrita
Southern Chorus Frog		Pseudacris nigrita hybridizes with P. fouquettei across the Pearl River between Louisiana and Mississippi. The hybrid zone was estimated in 1976 to be from 8.7–14 km wide, but a recent a......The advertisement call is a slow metallic ascending trill with 5-10 notes that are readily distinguishable within each trill. Calling rates are temperature dependent, but trills are typically issued e...The juveniles and adults are primarily found in sandy or loamy upland Coastal Plain habitats. Pinelands and mixed pine-hardwoods are commonly used. Representative habitats include pine flatwoods, xer...The adults are most readily observed during the breeding season when they are calling from breeding sites. They are occasionally seen crossing roads on rainy nights. ...Local populations are organized around local breeding sites and each typically consists of no more than perhaps a few hundred to a thousand or so adults. Semlitsch et al. (1996) monitored populations ...Populations in North Carolina appear to have declined during the last few decades and this species is currently listed as S2 within the state. Most of our records are > 20 years old, and there are ver...S2G5SC
Pseudacris collinsorum
Collinses' Mountain Chorus Frog		Until recently, the Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) was treated as a single species that ranged from mountainous regions of eastern Kentucky, southeastern Ohio, and western West V......The advertisement call is a series of short, nasally 'wreaks' that are repeated over and over and issued about every second or so depending on the prevailing temperature. The call is distinctive and ...Local populations are often found near the interfaces of forested and more open habitats such as agricultural fields or roadways. Although breeding often occurs on deforested land that is rather dista...Local populations are most readily detected by riding roads on warm, rainy nights to search for migrating adults, or by listening for calling males during the breeding season. The small egg masses can......Populations in North Carolina show no evidence of widespread population declines and appear to be stable. ...S2G2SC
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Necturus lewisi
Neuse River Waterdog		Necturus lewisi was originally described by Brimley (1924) as a subspecies of N. maculosus, but has been recognized since 1937 as a valid species. Electrophoretic and chromosomal compari.........Braswell and Ashton (1985) found that populations in the Piedmont Plateau and along the Fall Line were most likely to be encountered in clean, moderate to swift flowing streams with widths over 15.5 m.........Resurveys of N. lewisi since Braswell and Ashton's (1985) comprehensive study show that this species has experienced significant and widespread declines throughout its range. The most notably a...S2G2TT
Hyla andersonii
Pine Barrens Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......The advertisement call of the Pine Barrens Treefrog is very similar to that of the Green Treefrog. The call has been described in various ways (Dodd 2013, Noble and Noble 1923), but is perhaps best re...Hyla andersonii has rather specialized habitat requirements. It is generally associated with pocosins, acid bogs, shrub bogs, and seepage areas that are surrounded by sandy habitats and have cl...Adults are most easily observed during the breeding season when the males are calling. ...Local populations are often small (e.g., Sorrow 1982), which reflects the small size of many seepages and bog ponds that are used as breeding sites. Moler (1981) noted that fewer than a dozen males ca...H. andersonii is an IUCN Red List near-threatened species and is considered to be at risk of decline because of habitat loss (IUCN 2016). It is also listed as imperiled in Florida, threatened i...S2G4T
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
Hellbender		The Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is an unmistakable giant salamander that inhabits cool, rocky streams in the eastern US. Taxonomists have traditionally recognized two subspecies t.........Hellbenders inhabit large, rocky, fast-flowing streams that are well oxygenated. They are generally found at elevations below 762 m (2500’) and are most commonly found beneath large rocks or rocky she......Factors that regulate local populations are poorly understood, but competition for large rocks that are used for cover and brooding may set an upper limit on population size. Unger et al. (2013) condu......S3G3SCPS,E,UR
Siren lacertina
Greater Siren		Villela and Brandon (1992) reported that museum specimens from northern Mexico and southern Texas that were previously identified as Siren intermedia more closely fit the description of S. l......The Greater Siren makes clicking or yelping noises similar to those of S. intermedia that may function in intraspecific communication (Carr 1940, Gehlbach and Walker 1970). The exact function o...Siren lacertina is most commonly found in permanent or semipermanent aquatic habitats that have dense aquatic vegetation and soft substrates such as organic muck that allows burrowing. Much lik......Factors that regulate local populations are poorly resolved. Local populations can reach high densities and territoriality as seen in S. intermedia (Reinhard et al. 2014) could limit adult pop......S3G5W3
Plethodon yonahlossee
Yonahlossee Salamander		A crevice-dwelling form of P. yonahlossee that occurs in or near the vicinity of Bat Cave and Chimney Rock in western North Carolina was described by Adler and Dennis (1962) as a separate speci.........Plethodon yonahlossee is typically found in mesic deciduous forests in mountainous terrain at elevations of 436-1737 m (1430-5699'). Martof et al. (1980) noted that this species is often locall...Individuals are active on the ground surface at night and can be found by turning stones and large logs on the forest floor. ......The Yonahlossee Salamander can be locally abundant in optimal habitats, but is generally less abundant than other large Plethodon species (Hicks and Pearson 2003, Petranka and Murray 2001). It ...S4G4
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Desmognathus marmoratus
Shovel-nosed Salamander		Members of the genus Desmognathus are commonly known as dusky salamanders because of their overall dark brown or dusky ground color. Like many plethodontid salamanders, they have proven to be a.........The Shovel-nosed Salamander is an aquatic or semi-aquatic species that prefers cool, well oxygenated streams at elevations of 300-1680 m (980-5,500'). This species is generally more common in second a............S4G4
Lithobates virgatipes
Carpenter Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The males produce several types of vocalizations that include the advertisement call, single-note and multi-note aggressive calls, a growl that is given when fighting, and a release call. The most fam...This is a mostly aquatic species that lives in or around the margins of coastal wetlands. The adults and juveniles are often found in acidic, brown water or blackwater wetlands such as pocosins, sphag...Carpenter Frogs are difficult to find by direct searches and are most easily documented by listening for the distinctive advertisement calls during the spring and summer months. Calling mostly occurs ...Information on local population sizes and population organization is largely lacking. The extent to which the young metamorphs or adults move between sites is poorly documented, but the movement of ad...The status of populations in North Carolina has been difficult to determine due to issues with accurately monitoring populations. Resurveys of known historical populations in Maryland, New Jersey, Vi...S4G4
Lithobates sylvaticus
Wood Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The advertisement call can be a simple, deep 'cluck' or a more drawn out and raspy sounding ‘craw-awauk' or 'craw-aw-auk.' These are usually issued individually with a pause of 3-6 seconds or so befor...The Wood Frog uses a variety of habitats across its range, including Alaskan tundra, subalpine woodlands, willow and alder thickets, wet meadows, bogs, and temperate forests (AmphibiaWeb 2022, Dodd 20...The juveniles and adults are secretive and are rarely encountered outside of the breeding season. The adults are most easily observed when calling and mating at the breeding sites during late winter. ...The sizes of local breeding populations often fluctuate markedly across years, which reflects fluctuations in juvenile recruitment from year to year. It is not uncommon for local pond populations to c...Populations have likely declined historically in North Carolina due to the widespread loss of seasonal wetlands such as vernal ponds, floodplain pools, fens, and marshes. These were at one time common...S5S5
Lithobates kauffeldi
Mid-Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The call is a single-noted, unpulsed ‘chuck’ that is distinct from the pulsed ‘ak-ak-ak’ of L. sphenocephalus. The ‘chuck’ call is typically emitted in evenly spaced, repeated series that can i...Lithobates kauffeldi is mostly restricted to large coastal and riparian wetlands. Feinberg et al. (2014) described this species as inhabiting mesic lowland habitats that primarily include coast...Observations are best made by searching for calling males during warm, rainy periods in February and March....We know very little about the population dynamics or ecology of this species. The adults are terrestrial, but the extent to which the juveniles and adults migrate to the surrounding uplands is undocum...Schlesinger et al. (2018) considered populations to be secure in the core of the range (New Jersey; Delaware; Virginia) where there appear to be many apparently large populations in protected wetlands...S3G3G4W3
Lithobates heckscheri
River Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The advertisement call has been described as being a loud, distinctive snore or deep growl that last a second or two. It is often repeated several times in sequence with a brief gap in time between gr...The River Frog is a semiaquatic species that is associated with Coastal Plain streams and rivers and standing water habitats. It can be found along the margins of sluggish sections of rivers and strea...The adults can be found by searching the margins of wetlands and looking for individuals that are near shorelines. Searching for the conspicuous schooling tadpoles may be the best way to document loca...Very little is known about the sizes of local populations or genetic population structure. Given that this species may breed in rivers and creeks and connected wetlands, it is possible that the speci...The River Frog appears to still be common in Florida and Georgia (Krysko et al., 2019, Jensen et al. 2008), but has declined near the periphery of the range. The last museum-vouchered specimen for Mis...SXG5E
sciNametaxonomic commentsfield marksvocalizationshabitatobservation methodspopulation ecologystatus commentsS rankG rankstate statusus status
Lithobates clamitans
Green Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The males produce several types of calls, with the advertisement call the most well recognized one. It may consists of a single note that resembles a deep "c'tung" or a rapid sequence that has 2-7 not...Lithobates clamitans is a semiaquatic species that generally stays close to bodies of water that are used for foraging, breeding, and overwintering. The juveniles and adults use all sorts of aq...Green frogs are most easily observed by walking the margins of wetlands or searching roads on rainy nights. Their distinctive advertisement call is readily heard around breeding sites during the summe...Green Frog populations are probably not organized as metapopulations either locally or regionally given their ability to disperse long distances and their lack of strong habitat fidelity (Smith and Gr...This is one of the most common frogs in North Carolina and it tolerates habitat disturbance and alteration better than most species. Populations often occur on timbered landscapes so long as breeding ...S5G5
Lithobates catesbeianus
American Bullfrog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The juveniles and adults produce a variety of vocalizations, the most familiar being the advertisement call of the male that consists of deep groans that are commonly repeated in sequences of 3-5 or m...The American Bullfrog is a semiaquatic species that spends much of its time during the warmer months of the year in the immediate vicinity of bodies of water. Individuals frequently feed and rest eith...The juveniles and adults are commonly found in or around permanent bodies of water, particularly those with emergent or floating vegetation and vegetated shallows. They are commonly seen on roads duri...Data on population structure and local population sizes are scant. The juveniles and adults are capable of dispersing long distances from breeding sites, which hampers the ability to identify populati...Populations appear to be stable in North Carolina and show no evidence of long-term declines. ...S5G5
Lithobates capito
Gopher Frog		Frost et al. (2006) placed species in North American that were formerly in the very large genus Rana into a separate genus, Lithobates, to distinguish them from a large and predominantly......The advertisement call of L. capito has been described as a deep snore or prolonged groan that last about two seconds. Individuals may pause for a second or two before issuing another call. ...The Gopher Frog thrives in fire-maintained sandhills or flatwoods that are dominated by Longleaf Pine or Turkey Oak-pine associations. In Florida they can also be found in other upland habitats such a...Individuals are best found by searching for calling males. ...The number of adults that appear annually at local breeding sites is often very small and many populations appear to be maintained by using clusters of local ponds. At the Savannah River Site, no more...Populations of the Coastal Plain clade that was recognized Richter et al. (2014) have suffered major declines with very few populations remaining in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. As of 2018, O...S2G2G3E
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad		Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis) and Western Narrow-mouthed Toad (G. olivacea) were once treated as subspecies of a single species but are now treated as separate ......The males emit a buzzy or bleating "waaaa" call that is one of the most nasally songs of any of our native frogs. The characteristics of the call vary with temperature, but each "waaaa" typically last...The juveniles and adults are generalists that can be found in a wide variety of habitats that range from wet or mesic environs to relatively dry upland forests. Individuals can quickly desiccate if ex...The adults tend to be secretive and are most easily observed when at the breeding sites at night. They can occasionally be found on roads during rainy weather and are sometimes uncovered beneath board...Local populations are centered around the breeding sites, which may contain one or more local ponds. Successful reproduction in this species tends to be episodic, with premature pond drying often resu...Gastrophryne carolinensis is widespread and relatively abundant in North Carolina and there is no evidence of ongoing widespread population declines. ...S5G5
Pseudacris ornata
Ornate Chorus Frog		Degner et al. (2010) analyzed mtDNA variation and recognized three clades that occur across the geographic range of this species. These include a northern clade in North Carolina, a central clade from......The advertisement call is a very sharp metallic 'kik' that is produced in long, equally spaced repetitive sequences: “kik-kik-kik-kik-kik-kik.” Some have described it as resembling the call of a Spri...The juveniles and adults are primarily found in the pine flatwoods, pine barrens and sandhills of the southeastern Coastal Plain. They also can be found in xeric hardwood hammocks, as well as more mes...The adults are secretive and are best observed during the breeding season when they are at the breeding sites. They can occasionally be found crossing roads on rainy nights. ...Local populations are centered around the breeding sites, and most populations appear to consist of several hundred adults or less when averaged across several years. Gerhardt (1973) noted that the ma...Populations in North Carolina appear to have declined significantly in recent decades due to the loss or degradation of seasonal wetlands and forest management practices. This species is in need of pr...S2G4E
sciNametaxonomic commentsfield marksvocalizationshabitatobservation methodspopulation ecologystatus commentsS rankG rankstate statusus status
Pseudacris feriarum
Upland Chorus Frog		Pseudacris ferianum is a member of the trilling chorus frog group, which is a complex of species that have had a confusing taxonomic history. Lemmon et al. (2007) conducted a comprehensive mol......The advertisement calls consist of slow trills, sounding like a "crreeek" that has been likened to running one's finger along the tines of a pocket comb. Since each such call is frequency modulated, ...The adults are strongly affiliated with moist deciduous forests. Bottomland forests, swamp forests, or mesic hardwoods are used by the adults outside of the breeding season. Breeding typically occurs ...The adults are most easily observed as they call during the day and night from seasonal wetlands. They are also commonly encountered on rainy nights during the breeding season. ...The Upland Chorus Frog is organized as small local populations that are centered around local breeding sites. We have little data on population organization in this species. The juveniles appear capab...Populations in North Carolina do not show any evidence of recent widespread declines and appear to be stable. ...S5G5
Pseudacris crucifer
Spring Peeper		Herpetologists previously recognized two subspecies of the Spring Peeper that comprised northern (Pseudacris c. crucifer) and southern (P. c. bartramiana) groups, but molecular evidence ......The advertising call is a familiar sound to most naturalists in eastern North America and consists of a high-pitched whistle or peep, with each peep ascending in pitch and lasting about one-fifth of a...The juveniles and adults live in forested habitats that have breeding sites that are either in the forests or in open areas close to forests. Given their broad geographic range, the adults use terrest...The calling adults are a familiar sound during the spring warm-up and provide an easy way to document local populations. Adults can frequently be found on rainy nights moving to and from the breeding ...Local populations of the Spring Peeper can vary from a few dozen individuals at small breeding sites to a thousand or more at larger sites. We have very little data on dispersal distances or the exten...Pseudacris crucifer is common and populations appear to be stable in most portions of the species range. Dodd (2013) noted that populations appear to be declining in some northeastern states, b...S5G5
Hyla versicolor
Gray Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......The advertisement call is a very loud slow trill. The trill of this species is lower pitched and occurs at a slower pulse rate (17–35 notes/sec) than that of H. versicolor (34–69 notes per seco...This highly arboreal species is most commonly associated with deciduous hardwood forests where it blends in well with tree limbs in the forest canopy. Its habit preferences overlap strongly with that ...Individuals are most easily observed around the breeding sites at night during rainy weather. They are also commonly seen crossing roads on rainy nights as they move to and from the breeding sites. ...Local breeding populations often consist of only a few hundred adults or less (Dodd 2013). Where clusters of local ponds occur locally substantial gene flow likely occurs due to dispersal of juveniles...Regional populations of this species appear to be stable, with no evidence of decline at a landscape scale (Dodd 2013). The status of populations in North Carolina is largely unknown. Populations here...S2G5SC
Hyla gratiosa
Barking Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......The males have two distinctive calls. One is the "tree call" that is issued from trees or bushes during the day and often following rains (Neill 1958, Wright 1932). It has been described by Neill (19...Hyla gratiosa is found in a variety of Coastal Plain and inland habitats, including mixed pine-deciduous forests, pine flatwoods, longleaf pine sandhills, xeric hammock, and basin and depressio...Barking Treefrogs are most easily observed after dusk when they are at the breeding sites, particularly following afternoon thunderstorms or on warm, rainy nights. They can also be found crossing road...We know very little about the population ecology of this species. Attempts to determine the sizes of local populations have been hampered by the fact that the adults regularly trespass over drift fenc...Populations in North Carolina appear to be stable in most areas. We have several historical records for counties in the central Coastal Plain near the northern limit of the range in North Carolina, bu...S4G5
Hyla cinerea
Green Treefrog		Duellman et al. (2016) elected to split treefrogs in the genus Hyla into two genera. Hyla (sensu stricto) refers to a group of species that are found in Eurasia, while a new genus Dr......Breeding males have an advertisement call that resembles a nasal "queenk" "queenk" "queenk" or "quonk" "quonk" "quonk" that is repeated around 60-80 times per minute in the field. If a subordinate mal...The adults are commonly found in or around permanent or semipermanent bodies of water and spend much of the year along the margins of the breeding sites. Outside of the breeding season they frequent n...Green Treefrogs are most commonly heard and observed along the vegetation-choked margins of ponds, marshes, and lakes. They can also be found crossing roads on rainy nights and are commonly seen aroun...Very little is known about the population biology of this species. Local populations can vary from a dozen or so to thousands of adults. Carr (1940), for example, noted that choruses may continue unbr...Hyla cinerea is a widespread and abundant species, and the range is expanding in several areas (Dodd 2013). This species seem to tolerate disturbed and habitat fragmentation reasonably well and...S5G5